Head-to-head comparison
Grand Rapids Community College vs Bay Mills Community College: which has better ROI?
Option A Grand Rapids, MI
Grand Rapids Community College
- Net price / year
- $8,621
- Earnings, 10 years
- $38,377
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Brimley, MI
Bay Mills Community College
- Net price / year
- $3,073
- Earnings, 10 years
- $30,048
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Grand Rapids Community College comes closer — median earnings $38,377 against a $17,242 total, vs $30,048 at Bay Mills Community College. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Grand Rapids Community College | Bay Mills Community College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $8,621 | $3,073 |
| Total net cost | $17,242 | $12,292 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $38,377 | $30,048 |
| Median debt | $9,000 | — |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$216,902 | -$378,532 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Grand Rapids Community College or Bay Mills Community College?
Bay Mills Community College, at $3,073 a year after aid versus $8,621 — a gap of $5,548 a year, or $4,950 across the full degree. These are net prices after grants and scholarships, not sticker prices, so they reflect what an aided student pays.
The short answer
Do Grand Rapids Community College or Bay Mills Community College graduates earn more?
Grand Rapids Community College graduates report a median $38,377 ten years after entry, $8,329 more than the $30,048 at Bay Mills Community College. Both are institution-wide medians from federal tax records, so a high-paying major at the lower school can beat the average at the higher one.
The short answer
Which graduates more of its students?
30% of students finish at Bay Mills Community College, against 21% at Grand Rapids Community College. Completion matters to the ROI arithmetic because a degree that is never finished still carries its cost and its debt, but earns none of the graduate premium above the $48,360 high-school baseline.